Rossbach Monocot Garden

Taro, grasses and yuccas are at their peak in a garden that pays homage to a single group of plants, the monocots. Bold combinations of tender and hardy plants offer a sensuous celebration of texture and form in this seasonal garden.

The world of plants is primarily made up of two vast groups, monocots and dicots. Monocots, in most cases, have leaves with parallel veins and only one cotyledon (seed leaf) when the seeds begin to germinate. Composed of several families (such as amaryllis, lily, palm, grass and orchid), they include plants that humans have relied upon for food and shelter since before recorded history. But monocots are more than just useful. Peotry has been written about them, the visual arts have repeatedly depicted them, and people have brought them into their gardens ever since we could allow ourselves the luxury of beauty.